Combination work bench and tool chest



July 16, 1957 J, MARTlN 2,799,306

COMBINATION WORK BENCH AND TOOL CHEST Filed April 20, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. 4

JOHN J. MARTIN ATTORNEY July 16, 1957 J. J. MARTIN COMBINATION WORK BENCH AND TOOL CHEST Filed April 20, 1954 2 Sheets -Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN J. MARTIN ATTORNEY United States Patent COMBINATION WORK BENCH AND TOOL CHEST John J. Martin, Greenwich, Conn., assignor to Main Machine Company Application April 20, 1954, Serial No. 424,348

3 Claims. (Cl. 144-285) This invention relates to a combination carpenter tool chest and work bench and more particularly to a convertible construction of the above type suitable as a childrens toy.

An object of the present invention .is to provide a portable tool chest with detachable legs so arranged that the legs may be removably secured to the tool chest to convert the tool chest into a work bench, said legs being adapted to be carried in the tool chest when the device functions as a tool chest.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tool board on a work bench, the toolboard being a side panel of the tool chest when the work bench is converted into a tool chest.

Another object of the present device is to provide a vice for a work bench which is converted into the top board of the tool chest.

A further object of the present invention is a combination carpenter tool chest and work bench which is inexpensive to manufacture, easily assembled and disassembled, sturdily constructed, and effective for the purposes intended.

The above and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

Fig. l is a top plan view of the combination carpenter tool chest and work bench embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view thereof,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation view thereof,

Fig. 4 is an end elevation view thereof similar to Fig. 3 with one of the legs of the work bench removed and the tool board inserted on the work bench,

Fig. 5 is a front elevation view thereof with the bench legs removed and the tool board inserted on the work bench,

Fig. 6 is an end elevation view of the present device as a tool chest, and

Fig. 7 is a front elevation view of the present device functioning as a tool chest.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1-4, my combination carpenter tool chest and work bench is primarily a childrens toy, but is not necessarily restricted thereto. The present device functions as a toy work bench and comprises a preferably rectangular shaped work bench referred to generally by the numeral 10, the bench 10 being provided with a top work board 12 and front and rear boards 14 and 16 respectively. On opposite ends of bench 10 are boards 22 and 24 positioned and secured angularly on said bench. The boards 22 and 24 are nailed or otherwise secured to the top, front and rear boards of the present device. The position of boards 22 and 24 is at an acute angle relative to the plane of top work board 12. Each of the boards 22 and 24 are provided with two spaced holes 25 drilled angularly in said board. A bench clamping "Fee board 26 is mounted forward of front board 14, the latter being provided with an aperture 28 having a threaded bushing 30 therein. Front board 14 is provided on either side of aperture 28 with niches 32 and 34. The clamping board 26 is provided with an aperture 36 aligned with aperture 28 on the front board 14. Pasing through aperture 36'and screw-connected to bushing 30 is Worm screw 38 provided with a handle 40. Secured to the bench clamping board 26 on either side of worm screw 38 are guides 42 and 44. The guides are inserted in niches 32 and 34 respectively and each guide abuts against an edge of each of the angle boards 22 and 24. It should be noted that the front board 14 together with the bench clamping board 26 form a bench vice arrangement with the guides 42 and44 serving both to strengthen the vice construction and also the bench supporting legs as willbe apparent hereinafter. The legs 46 of the work bench are removably held in holes 25 of angle boards 22 and 24. The aforesaid legs 46 may be rapidly and easily inserted and removed from the angle boards, however their angular positions in the set-up condition of the Work bench creates a sturdy and steady work bench. I

As will be clearly seen in Fig. 4, a combination tool and bottom board 48 is shown. Tool board 48 is provided with a pair of apertures 50 through which project screws 52. Wing nuts 54 fastened to screws 52 secure the tool board 48 to the bench 10 in an upright position. The tool board 48 has a tool rack 56 (dotted lines) and a plurality of tools 58 also shown in dotted lines.

When it is desired to convert the work bench into a carpenters tool chest, the legs 46 are pulled out of the apertures 25 of the angle boards 22 and 24. The work bench is then turned upside down with the top work board 12 preferably resting on a flat surface, and the removed legs are placed inside the upside down work bench. The tool board 48 is removed from the tool bench 10 by loosening wing nuts 54. Then two opposite side edges of the tool board 48 are placed in elongated grooves 18 and 20 of rear board 16 and bench clamping board 26 respectively (Figs. 3, 4 and 6). Thereafter the front clamping board 26 moved by the turning of worm screw 38 holds the tool board firmly in place. Consequently, the device becomes a tool chest as seen in Fig. 7 with the vice handle 40 functioning additionally as a tool chest carrying handle.

It is to be noted that the combination tool chest and work bench according to the present invention may be made of wood, metal, plastic or any other suitable material.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the latter may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described and that in the illustrated embodiment certain changes in the details of construction and in the arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principle of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A combination portable tool chest and work bench including a plurality of legs, a top work board, front and rear boards secured to said top work board, a clamping board having substantially the same dimensions as said front board, said front board being provided with an aperture substantially centrally located therein, an internally threaded bushing in said aperture, a Worm screw in said threaded bushing and connecting said clamping board with said front board for movement relative thereto, and at .least two leg-retaining boards at opposite ends of said work bench and positioned at an acute angle relative to the plane of said top work board, each of said leg-retain- 3 ing boards having at least two holes therein for removably fixing said legs therein, a tool board, means for removably securing said tool board to said rear board in one position thereof, and means for securing said tool board to said rear board and clamping board in spaceconfronting relationship to said top work board in another position thereof.

2. A combination portable tool chest and work bench including a plurality of legs, a top work board, front and rear boards secured to said top work board, a clamping board being substantially identical in dimensions as said front board and having at least one opening therein, said front board being provided with at least three apertures therein, an internally threaded bushing centrally located in one of said apertures on the front board, a worm screw in said threaded bushing and said opening and connecting said clamping board to said front board for movement relative thereto, said worm screw being provided with a handle which serves as a means for moving said clamping board for said work bench and as a carrying means for said portable tool chest, a pair of guide members each secured at one end to said clamping member and projecting through each of said other two apertures, at least two leg-retaining boards at opposite ends of said work bench, each of said leg-retaining boards having at least two holes therein for removably fixing said legs therein, a tool board, means for removably securing said tool board to said rear board in one position thereof as a work bench, and means for securing said tool board to said rear board and clamping board in space-confronting relationship to said top work board in another position thereof as a tool chest.

3. A combination portable tool chest and work bench including a plurality of legs, a top work board, a front board, a rear board being provided with an elongated groove in the direction of its length, said front and rear boards being secured to said top work board, a clamping board having an elongated groove in opposed, spaced relationship to the groove of said rear board, said clamping board having substantially the same dimensions as said front board, means mounting said clamping board forward of said front board for movement relative to said front board, and at least two leg-retaining boards at opposite ends of said work bench, each of said leg-retaining boards having at least two holes therein for removably fixing said legs therein, a tool board, means for removably securing said tool board to said rear board in one position thereof as a work bench, and opposite marginal edges of said tool board being inserted in said opposed grooves in another position thereof as a tool,

chest to thereby secure said clamping board in spaceconfronting relationship to said top work board.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 158,674 Burton Jan. 12, 1875 2,011,197 M-ordt Aug. 13, 1935 2,094,805 Meier Oct. 5, 1937 2,170,535 Marsden Aug. 22, 1939 2,610,761 Fleming Sept. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 375,174 Great Britain June 23, 1932 

